| And when I die before I wake |
| The earthly goods I leave behind |
| Will never make another rich |
| They are not much, these things of mine |
| So let me leave my other things |
| The one I treasure and adore |
| The ones I keep inside my heart |
| I leave behind for you to know |
| The sunrise when the day begins |
| A time of life I would not trade |
| For all the gold that could be found |
| It's yours my child, so take it please |
| The raindrops and the rustling leaves |
| Of autumn colored orange and red |
| These days are priceless precious jewels |
| I've loved them so, they're yours to keep |
| The springtime too, it's beauty take |
| The new beginning always tells |
| Of life renewed, fresh hope abounds |
| For Mother Earth is yours, my child |
| The finned ones and the ones that fly |
| Such beauty and great wisdom bring |
| The secrets of a balanced life |
| Are there for you, discover them |
| And in my final days of life |
| The drum and water sing to me |
| As I go on to richer things |
| And leave the gift of life to thee |
| Copyright © 1998 |
| Serena Willis, serena@yt.sympatico.ca |
| The Legend of The Cedar Tree as told by Jim Fox |
| A long time ago when the Cherokee people were new |
| upon the earth,they thought that life would be much |
| better if there was never any night.They beseeched |
| the Ouga (Creator) that it might be day all the time |
| and that there would be no darkness. |
| The Creator heard their voices and made the night |
| cease and it was day all the time.Soon,the forest |
| was thick with heavy growth.It became difficult to |
| walk and to find the path.The people toiled in the |
| gardens many long hours trying to pulled from among |
| the corn and other food plants.It got hot,very hot, |
| and continued that way day after long day.The people | began to find it difficult to sleep and became short |
| tempered and argued among themselves. |
| Not many days had passed before the people realized |
| they made a mistake and, once again, they beseeched |
| " the Creator.Please," they said,"we have made a mistake |
| in asking that it be day all the time. Now we think |
| that it should be night all the time." The Creator |
| paused at this new request and thought that perhaps |
| the people may be right even though all things were |
| created in twos...representing to us day and night, |
| life and death, good and evil,times of plenty and those |
| times of famine.The Creator loved the people and |
| decided to make it night all the time as they had asked. |
| The day ceased and night fell upon the earth. Soon, |
| the crops stopped growing and it became very cold. |
| The people spent much of their time gathering wood for |
| the fires. They could not see to hunt meat and with |
| no crops growing it was not long before the people were |
| cold, weak,and very hungry. Many of the people died. |
| Those that remained still living gathered once again |
| to beseech the Creator."Help us Creator,"they cried! |
| "We have made a terrible mistake.You had made |
| the day and the night perfect, and as it should be, |
| from the beginning. We ask that you forgive us and |
| make the day and night as it was before." |
| Once again the Creator listened to the request of the |
| people.The day and the night became, as the people |
| had asked, as it had been in the beginning. Each |
| day was divided between light and darkness.The |
| weather became more pleasant, and the crops began to |
| grow again.Game was plentiful and the hunting was |
| Updated November 2002 |
| rollhupe@istar.ca |
| yokel2yonkers@yahoo.com |
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